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The Yorks

Who is Princess Eugenie?

Princess Eugenie Victoria Helena was born 23 March 1990, the second child of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. She has an older sister, Princess Beatrice, who was born in 1988.

Princess Eugenie is currently eighth-in-line to the throne, and the third female behind her cousin, Princess Charlotte, and her older sister.

She is the first royal in generations to bear the name Victoria – the last had been Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (1897-1965). She is also Queen Elizabeth II’s only granddaughter to not have Elizabeth as a middle name.

Princess Eugenie grew up in London and attended school at Upton House and Coworth Park School in Berkshire. She then attended St George’s School before switching to Marlborough College and completed her A-levels in art, art history, and English literature.

Princess Eugenie attended Newcastle University and received a Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature, History of Art, and Politics in 2012.

Princess Eugenie suffered from scoliosis as a child and underwent corrective surgery at age 12 to fix it, with two titanium rods placed in her back that are still there. She made sure to highlight her scoliosis scar while wearing her wedding gown; she had a deep ‘v’ in the back to show off the scar.

Picture by I-Images/Pool

Princess Eugenie is not a full-time working royal and does not carry out engagements on behalf of her grandmother, The Queen. There has been some controversy in the past few years about whether Princess Eugenie and her sister should become working royals, with their father firmly wanting this. However, it looks unlikely as their uncle, Prince Charles is in favour of a more streamlined approach and face of the Royal Family.

Princess Eugenie holds several patronages, though, her first being the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital’s Redevelopment Appeal in 2012. She is also a patron, along with her mother, of the Elephant Family. She and her sister became patrons of the Teenage Cancer Trust in June 2016, and their mother is an honorary patron of the charity as well. Princess Eugenie became the patron of the Coronet Theatre in November 2016. She also became patron of Anti-Slavery International in October 2019.

Princess Eugenie currently works as an associate director at the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in London. Prior to that, she lived in New York and worked for an online auction firm called Paddle8 as a benefit auctions manager.

Princess Eugenie shared an apartment with her sister at St James’s Palace, but it was reported in August 2016 that she was to move into the three-bedroom Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace sometime in the new year.

Princess Eugenie was interviewed for Harper’s Bazaar’s September issue and noted that she often has engagements related to the Royal Family or to a charity she supports, so she’s often out in the evenings.

“We also try to support Granny and Grandpa in any way we can because that is what family is for.”

Princess Eugenie announced her engagement to Jack Brooksbank on 22 January 2018. They married in St George’s Chapel at Windsor on 12 October 2018. She is now styled as Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank. She gave birth to their first child – a son named August – on 9 February 2021.

About author

Jess Ilse is the Assistant Editor at Royal Central. She specialises in the British, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Royal Families and has been following royalty since Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. Jess has provided commentary for media outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Jess works in communications and her debut novel THE MAJESTIC SISTERS will publish in Fall 2024.